Recent RCMP arrests include seizures of fentanyl and carfentanil

Recent arrests by Red Deer RCMP have involved seizures of fentanyl and carfentanil, property crimes and fraud, and the continued focus on prolific offenders who fail to comply with court-imposed conditions. Many arrests have been thanks to targeted patrols in areas that show high levels of criminal activity, as part of Red Deer’s Pinpoint crime reduction strategy. Pinpoint uses an intelligence-driven policing model to identify problem areas, prolific offenders and emerging issues, and Red Deer RCMP target their enforcement accordingly.

At 1:15 a.m. on Feb. 5th, RCMP on patrol in downtown Red Deer located a woman who was wanted on outstanding warrants. During her arrest, RCMP seized crystal meth.

Tamara Dawn Johnson, 44, faces the charges of two counts of possession of Schedule I substance and failing to comply with conditions.

At 10:15 p.m. on Jan. 31st, RCMP on patrol in downtown Red Deer located a female suspect who was wanted on a number of outstanding warrants from four separate files. During her arrest, police seized methamphetamine and carfentanil.

In addition to her warrants, 34-year-old Tomasina Ballentyne faces the charges of two counts of possession of Schedule I substance and two counts of failing to comply with conditions.

Shortly before 2 a.m. on Jan. 31st, RCMP on patrol in a high crime area located a suspicious vehicle; as they approached, the male driver fled on foot but was arrested after a brief foot chase. RCMP seized a baggie of fentanyl and approximately $1,700 as proceeds of crime.

Ryan Michael Simoneau, 40, faces a charge of possession for the purpose of trafficking.

Shortly before 6 p.m. on Jan. 31st, RCMP responded to a report of a theft suspect being pursued by retail security staff after the theft of a backpack from a fitness facility. The suspect fled on foot and was seen getting on a Red Deer Transit bus. RCMP located the bus, executed a traffic stop, and removed the suspect. There was no impact on riders or interruption of transit service as a result of the arrest.

The suspect had been arrested the day before by Red Deer RCMP at a north end restaurant after police responded to a report of a disturbance and determined that the suspect was wanted on outstanding warrants after failing to appear in court on charges related to the theft of client items from a different fitness facility in September.

William James Webb, 30, faces the charges of two counts of theft under $5,000, possession of stolen property under $5,000, failing to comply with conditions and failing to attend court.

Red Deer RCMP located and arrested 32-year-old Jessie Singh Dodd, who was wanted on warrants after failing to appear in court regarding a November file in which he resisted arrest and was found to be in possession of weapons in violation of his probation. He appeared in court in Red Deer on Feb. 2nd and is scheduled to appear again on Feb. 23rd at 9:30 a.m.

RCMP on patrol in a high crime area shortly after 1 a.m. on Jan. 29th located a stolen vehicle occupied by a male suspect. RCMP moved into position to surround the vehicle in case of an attempted flight from police, and initiated a traffic stop. The suspect was taken into custody without incident and police seized methamphetamine from him; at the time of his arrest, he was found to be breaching several court-imposed conditions.

Gordon Edouard Cameron, 51, faces the charges of possession of stolen property over $5,000, two counts of failing to comply with conditions and possession of Schedule I substance.

In the early hours of Jan. 25th, Red Deer RCMP located two men in a vehicle in a high crime area who were wanted on numerous outstanding warrants; one was found to be breaching several court-imposed conditions at the time of his arrest, including a curfew condition and conditions not to be in a vehicle if he was not the registered owner.

Kirk Kuske, 42, was wanted on six warrants out of Ponoka for possession of two counts of stolen property, evading police, theft, obstruction, and operating a motor vehicle while disqualified.

He now faces additional charges of two counts of failing to comply with conditions and operating a motor vehicle while disqualified

Craig Oliver, 49, was wanted on eight warrants out of Red Deer for fraud under $5,000 000 after Red Deer RCMP identified him as a suspect in repeated frauds committed at a local grocery store, where he is alleged to have used stolen credit cards to purchase hundreds of dollars worth of product over multiple visits. RCMP identified him after obtaining surveillance images and issued arrest warrants for eight separate incidents of fraud between September and December of 2017.

On Jan. 24th, Red Deer RCMP located a man who was wanted on a warrant after RCMP conducting curfew checks on Jan. 20th determined that he was violating his court-imposed curfew. Red Deer RCMP conduct curfew checks on identified individuals as part of Pinpoint, the Red Deer RCMP crime reduction strategy that targets prolific offenders, crime hot spots and problem residences.

Brandon William Wallner, 28, faces a charge of failing to comply with conditions.

At 1:30 p.m. on Jan. 24th, RCMP responded to a report of shoplifters in a downtown store. RCMP attended and retrieved surveillance images of the male and female suspects, then located them nearby in the downtown. The female suspect was in possession of the stolen items at the time of her arrest.

Lateesha Flodell, 23, was wanted on three outstanding warrants out of Lacombe at the time of her arrest; she was charged with an additional charge of theft under $5,000.